If there was ever a Cinderella of a Hot Wheels casting, it would be the #Datsun Bluebird 510. Designed by former Hot Wheels Designer, Jun Imai, the 510 made its debut in the mainline as part of the 2009 New Models. Its initial three colorways (blue, black, and copper) as part of the 2009 New Models made for a nice trio. Its mainline releases in 2010 (Nightburnerz) and 2012 (Faster Than Ever) however, made for epic pegwarmers. Some collectors even reported the 2011 Vintage Racing release warming pegs in a few locales. In 2013, the team at HotWheelsCollectors.com decided to make a neo-classics version of the famous BRE Datsun race car — limit 2 per order, at 3,000 units — it took several hours to sell out.
Things started to pick up in 2014, however. You could see the demand rise for some of the previous releases, and secondary market prices reflected that. The #Datsun Bluebird 510 would be placed in premium lines from 2014 to 2016 (Cool Classics, Heritage, Car Culture), and each time it was seemingly harder to find. Values eclipsed retail price, and collectors all of a sudden were Bluebird-savvy.
Collection of Hot Wheels ’71 Datsun Bluebird 510 (partial family photo, 5/10/2019)
Fast-forward to 2019. Collectors are crazy for the #Datsun Bluebird 510, which just saw its first mainline release since 2012. The casting has been retooled twice… once to allow for an opening hood on HWC/RLC/Convention pieces… and twice, so the casting could meet modern mainline requirements. There have been a staggering about of 510 releases from 2017 to 2018 to half-way through 2019. Every time the casting is released now, its an event and collectors/profiteers rarely leave any behind. Its quite the contrast from the casting’s pegwarmer years. With a bunch of really cool releases, its hard not to collect the 510 — even if you weren’t a fan to begin with.
If there was a Hot Wheels Hall of Fame, the #Datsun Bluebird 510 would be in it just based on the last few years alone. Its had quite the meteoric-rise, and compared to where it was several years ago, I dub it thee “Cinderella-story” of the Hot Wheels world. And, if you think about it, what color were the birds that assist Cinderella… fitting.
Happy 510 day!
Categories: Collection Update
ORANGE TRACK DIECAST 
😎Article BRAD.I remember seeing plenty of the Cool Classics 510’s at a Publix grocery store hanging on the pegs for a longtime in JAGVILLE,FLA.After they caught on I went back to that store and they all were gone. My loss. Thanks for sharing.